Natural Gas Towboat Demonstration Project
Natural gas has been proposed as an alternative fuel for marine transportation for the past 10 to 15 years. As the marine industry seeks alternatives to burning diesel, there has been increased attention on over-the-highway fuels as cleaner burning fuel alternatives. The inland towing industry is no exception. One of the earliest documents evaluating the opportunity for use of natural gas was a 2012 study published by American Clean Skies Foundation1. This study provides details and challenges with converting U.S. inland marine vessels (workboats) to natural gas, specifically liquefied natural gas (LNG).